Nalu Weeks
by snogfairy
Summary: A series of NaLu Oneshots I wrote for two Nalu Weeks on tumblr.
1. Day 1: Gifts

**Do not pass go, do not collect your reward.**

* * *

When there was a crashing sound followed by a gust of wind and the _thud_ of feet hitting her bedroom floor, she didn't even look up from the book she was reading. She had long given up trying to teach her teammate proper entering-a-house-like-a-normal-human-being skills.

"Hi Natsu."

The addressed boy flashed her his usual grin before jumping around her enthusiastically while babbling some unidentifiable words, making it impossible for her to find out if Jean-Jaque L'Amour would ever satisfy his all-encompassing need to crash his lips against those of his long lost lover Lola de l'Ardeur. Erza wanted the book back today. Sighing, she put it onto the desk in front of her and stood up.

"What is it, Natsu? How was the mission?"

"Well-" He paused to pout his lips. "I would have liked it better if you had come with me, you know, 'cause that's what teammates do…" A slightly accusing look hit her, but immediately disappeared as he seemed to remember something important. "But it doesn't matter, because I got all fired up anyway and defeated them instantly! And I got _this_ as a reward!" He pulled out something that looked not at all like money, which made Lucy not at all happy.

"Are you telling me this is ALL you got? You were supposed to repay your debts for eating all my food I had bought for the week yesterday!" Her face turned a dangerous colour and the temperature in the room dropped by at least 10°C.

"But Lucy…This is a great game! At least I'm pretty sure it is, I have never played it before..hehe."

A…board game. She clenched and unclenched her fists. Then she did it again. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes. Well knowing that she had lost, no matter what she said next, she decided to just accept his weird gift. There just was no possible way to stay mad at Natsu for long, not when he looked at you with those big happy eyes, like a dog waiting for a treat it was sure to get, no matter how many times it brought home the neighbour's garbage bags.

Lifting her hands in defeat, she proceeded to take the package from him to unwrap it. The board game inside was slightly dusty, so she had to brush off some of it with her hand to be able to read the letters decorating the cover. "Mo-no..poly…? I've never heard that before…"

Both of them dropped to the ground and started unpacking it hastily. Lucy had already forgotten that she was supposed to be angry; curiosity and excitement had gripped her and she couldn't wait to learn more about the game. Still, she decided she would repay him by winning, by wiping that smug grin out of his face and crushing his hopes and dreams with that cute little figurine she had just discovered and was now holding in her hands.

"So, let's see, how do you play this…?"

The sun rose slowly, lazily dipping the rooftops in a nice yellow hue. Birds were waking up and started to trill their first songs, waking up even the most determined sleepyheads. All signs were pointing towards a beautiful day, and it surely would be one for most people. The city slowly came to life as lights were turned on in houses, the first shops opened and early morning people started stepping onto the streets. However, there was one house in which the light had never been turned off.

A victorious cry sounded through the air.

"I WIN!" – Don't be ridiculous! I can still turn this around! It's not over!"- "Oh yeah? And just HOW do you wanna do that? All the hotels have been conquered by my mighty dragon!" – "That's NOT how you play the game!" –"It is now!"

Crazy laughter resounded through the room, but was promptly stifled by a big pillow. The raging blonde already held the next one in her hand, ready to smack the boy who had made himself a cape out of her favourite dress. "You won't get away with this! And give me back my ca- I mean dress!"

She started chasing him across the room, but he easily evaded her attacks, laughing and accidentally setting the curtains on fire. "Lord Dragneel is now the mighty tycoon who holds all the guilds in his iron grip! Pay your taxes, peasant! You still are standing on my grounds!"

"They are not your grounds if you _steal_ them from me! Also I control the cash box so you're not getting anything! HA!"

Neither of them noticed how they had scattered the game all around the room, making guilds and houses fly in all directions. Then, Lucy's eyes found the little dragon statue Natsu had used for playing, and with a devilish, slightly crazy grin, she threw it out of the window.

"What are you gonna do now, oh mighty drag-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a human fireball launched himself at her, throwing both of them to the ground, where they continued their brawl without hesitation. It was only when Natsu pinned Lucy to the ground, straddling her hips and holding her hands over her head, that they temporarily gained back some sense. Lucy stared up at her friend, terror in her eyes. "What have we become? We're supposed to be friends. This is not us." She whispered dramatically.

Natsu's eyes widened, and without changing their position, they both turned their heads to get a look of the room and its contents - or what was left of them. Smoldering curtains, thrown over chairs and vases, scattered plastic guild replicas…"How did this happen?"

Two pairs of sleep-ridden, dark-circled eyes fixed themselves on the board game lying on the ground a few feet away.

"Let's burn it."

"Natsu, don't be silly. We cannot just burn it. …we should cut it into pieces first, and then bring the ashes to Mira to have them exorcised. There must be a horrible curse lying on this game." After saying those words out loud, she realized how crazy they sounded. "Or…we might just have gotten a little caught up in it."

Their gazes met, and for a second they just froze, realizing just how carried away they had gotten, and, more importantly, realizing in what position they were in now. They blushed, but before anything awkward could happen, Natsu started snorting with laughter, and soon Lucy joined, laughing until her head hurt and she thought she would suffocate. Then Natsu collapsed on top of her, and she _truly_ thought she would suffocate. "Natsu.." She tried to manage some words inbetween her laughter. "Please get off or you'll squeeze me to death." He obeyed, and rolled onto his back beside her. For a few moments, they just lay there, panting and giggling, trying to calm themselves down. After a while, Natsu spoke.

"Hey Lucy, we should definitely play that again sometime soon!"

Lucy did not answer. She was fast asleep, mouth open and head hanging to the side, letting out content little sighs and snores from time to time, as the midday sun fell through what was left of the curtains and illuminated her hair. _She looks like a princess._

He looked at her fondly as sleep began to overcome him aswell, and before he lost consciousness completely, he draped an arm over her to pull her closer. She would kill him for this tomorrow, but he could live with that.

It had been worth it.


	2. Day 2: Vulnerable

**Not A Very Lucky Number**

* * *

A cool wind blew through the streets of Magnolia and gently tousled the hair of the young woman walking towards her home in silence. The day, which was now slowly but inexorably nearing its end, had been beautiful. The sunlight bathed the houses in a golden and red colour, and the city was still bustling with life; people were sitting in coffee shops, laughing, exchanging stories and hugs and kisses. Lucy Heartfilia did not notice any of that, but quietly walked on, eyes turned towards the ground.

It was 7pm on the 7th of July.

The wooden floor creaked slightly as she entered her flat, carelessly throwing her jacket over the chair next to her. All she wanted to do was fall into her bed and get the day over with. She had spent most of it in a train, and she was tired. Visiting her mother's grave on the anniversary of her death had become something like a habit for her, but she was filled with an all-consuming sadness everytime nonetheless. It was quiet in her home, and the air was slightly dusty, for there had been no one to open the window and let in fresh air while she was gone. Tears welled up in her eyes again and she quickly brushed them away with her left hand. _I miss you, mommy._ Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she steadied herself against the quietness of the room and started walking towards her bedroom. It was then that she felt a slight breeze against her face. The window..?

Even before she stepped into her room, she could make out the silhouette of someone leaning against the side of her bed, head rolled back onto the mattress and snoring loudly. Her eyes were still watery, but her lips involuntarily curled up into a small smile. Natsu was here. She was not always happy to have him breaking into her apartment and invading her privacy, but this was one of the rare moments when she could have outright snogged him for his weird habit.

"Lucy… where…" He mumbled in his sleep. Curiously she stepped closer, now getting a much clearer view as the light from the kitchen illuminated his slumped frame. She noticed Happy, who was curled into a ball on her pillow, sleeping soundly. Her gaze shifted to Natsu, and she could tell his day had not been the best either. Though asleep, he looked miserable and dark circles were visible underneath his eyes. _Oh, right. The 7__th__ of July. I was not the only one who lost someone that day._ She felt a pang of guilt for remembering this fact only now, having been too consumed by her own pain. _How selfish_. She reached out and gently pushed some misplaced strands of hair out of his sweaty face.

The boy exhaled and shifted his position uneasily. "Igneel..?" He blinked, slowly regaining consciousness. Lucy pulled back her hand and whispered "It's me, Natsu. Sorry for waking you." She was gentler than she usually would have been, the vulnerable look on his face making her insides churn. But then he blinked a few more times, and his face was back to normal, a smile spreading across his features. "Finally! Do you know how long I waited? I'm starving!" He pointed to his growling belly and grinned. She was not fooled by his cheerfulness and was in no mood to play along. The sadness she had caught in his eyes only moments before was very visible in her own, and Natsu's expression changed when he examined her closer. His smile fell. "Oh, right." Nothing more. Slowly, she let herself slide onto the floor beside him, their bodies only separated by a few inches. They sat in silence, neither of them feeling the need to break it just yet. The room was quiet again, but not the lonely kind she had felt when she had returned. In this silence they shared, they could almost feel each other's emotions, silently acknowledging them and consoling each other.

She took a deep breath; let it fill her lungs as a calming shiver ran down her body. She leaned closer towards the pleasant warmth radiating from her best friend's body as her eyes slowly closed by themselves. Her head met his shoulder softly. Words were superfluous for them; had always been unnecessary. How could words convey what was deeply hidden in their hearts, tucked away safely for no one to see; easily forgotten in many joyful moments, but never fully gone. For no one to see but each other.

He had never completely opened up about his past. Of course, he would tell everybody about his great dragon father and how he would meet him again someday, but who really knew what was going on inside of him? How he felt about his dad abandoning him? If he lay awake at night sometimes, wondering _why _and wondering where he could be? If Igneel wanted to see him as badly as Natsu wanted to see him? He had never liked talking about his past, and he did not like it now. Still, he spoke.

"I just…I didn't want to be alone today."

"I know."

Carefully, he leaned his chin on top of her head.

A small smile ghosted across her lips. That was enough. They had all the time in the world. And they had each other. She felt so grateful for the boy beside her, the boy who not only had led her to her new family, but had become it. Had become her home. It might be too late for her to see her parents again, but she found comfort and love in his company, more so than she had found during the time after her mother's death. And one day, she was sure, she would meet Igneel. Because she believed in her dragon slayer. Just as she knew that he believed in her. "Just…thankyou."

It was 7.57pm on the 7th of July.

Seven had never been their lucky number. But they sure were lucky to have each other.


	3. Day 5: Dare

**Drunken Dares Do Wonders**

* * *

The guild hall was rather quiet and peaceful, and quiet murmuring was the predominant noise on this lazy Friday evening. That is, until Cana's drunken voice resounded through the big room, loud and slightly slurred.

"I DARE you to enter a drinking contest with me!" Her finger was pointing at Laxus, who just looked at her with a blank expression. "No." She pouted, but then quickly proceeded to shout dares at other people - all of them had something to do with either drinking or dating. All to no avail. Hesitating, she put a hand to her face and rubbed it pensively. Her drunken mind was trying to pick out someone who would finally accept a dare, someone who would never back down… Oh. She grinned.

"Natsu!"

The young dragon slayer was sitting at the bar, stuffing his face with chicken wings, when she caught his attention. He turned his head in her direction, not particularly interested. "Huh?"

"I DARE you to…to.." She had not thought this far. What could she make him do? The gears in her head turned and turned, until..of course! So obvious. "I dare you to _kiss_ Lucy on the neck!"

He blinked, chicken still hanging out of his mouth. "Okay."

Out of all the reactions she had anticipated, this had not been one of them. "Oh, um, good?" The bottle that still was in her hand found its way to her lips again, and after taking a big sip, she put it down on the table beside her. A mischievous grin spread across her face. Lucy would have to thank her for this later.

"But you have to do it today." It was evening already, the sun had almost set completely and Lucy had gone home a while ago. It could not get any better. She was a freaking genius. She patted herself on the back approvingly and proceeded to get back to the bar, where Mira had already placed her next drink.

With one last bite, Natsu jumped off the bar stool. "Sure thing!" And off he dashed. Heads turned after him as he left the guild, and then those same heads turned towards Cana. Silence fell. Then everyone broke into laughter.

Lucy was lying in bed, sighing contently as she snuggled into the sheets. It was so warm, so comfy. Slowly, her eyelids closed and she was about to drift off into a pleasant sleep..

CRASH.

She jumped out of bed with a shriek, mind blank and all relaxation or tiredness gone in a heartbeat. "Whaaaaa- Open, Gate of-" She stopped mid-sentence and dropped the hand which was already holding a golden key. "Nat-su." Her voice could have cut through glass, and if that was not already bad enough, her left eye started twitching dangerously. The addressed intruder immediately dropped to his knees, ready to beg for his life, but then he suddenly remembered just why he had come here. Wasting no time, he stood back up and quickly closed the space between them, a concentrated look on his face. His eyes darted to her neck.

"N-Natsu?"

He did not answer, but swiftly lowered his head and pressed his lips against her soft, warm skin. It was a short kiss, quick and innocent, but her eyes widened and her breath stopped nonetheless. It was in that moment he decided that one kiss wasn't enough. Cana had never specified a certain amount, after all. Lucy's sweet scent was all he could smell as it began to cloud his mind. She had stiffened under his touch, but made no attempt at stopping him. He placed a second, openmouthed kiss a little higher on her throat and wondered how she might taste. Sudden desire, of a sort he had barely ever felt before, cursed through his veins. A low gasp escaped her lips and brought him back to reality.

Promptly, he pulled back only to find her staring at him, frozen solid, with a confused look on her face and a blush on her cheeks. She opened her mouth and closed it again. Before she could actually muster the courage to say anything at all, he beat her to it.

Pushing the unsettling thoughts which had consumed him only seconds ago to the back of his mind, he decided to pretend they had never existed in the first place. "Alright!" he said with a smile that was supposed to turn her back into the Lucy he knew. "Done!"

Her confusion only grew, but now a nagging feeling started to spread in her stomach. "W-What do you mean?"

"Oh, Cana dared me to-"

Something in the way her eyes widened made him stop before he could finish his sentence. She stared at him in disbelief. "WHAT?!"

She dropped onto her bed and just sat there, inhaling deeply. "Natsu." Her voice was dangerously calm all of a sudden, which did not make him feel any less guilty. He wished she would yell at him, or even lucy-kick him into the wall, but she did not do him the favour. "What the hell were you thinking? You cannot just do that to a girl! You know that, right?"

"Lucy, I'm not an idiot." He averted his gaze then, suddenly unable to look her straight in the eye. "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to."

Her eyes grew large. Had he actually just said that? Flabbergasted, she simply stared at him, like a deer in the headlights of a car. Then, within seconds, her cheeks turned the colour of Erza's hair and she started laughing nervously, while incoherent sentences came tumbling out of her mouth and her hands started to move on their own, flailing around her like she was a crazy person.

Natsu raised an eyebrow in amusement, but still did not know what to say or do, so he simply scratched the back of his head awkwardly and joined in on her weird antics.

Had anybody been watching them at this moment, what they would have seen is two completely insane people who were blushing from head to toe, performing the weirdest of movements and looking anywhere but at each other. And had anybody – a blue cat, let's say – not only seen them, but also taken a picture of the dorks, then exactly this picture would be sure to hang on the guild's blackboard the next morning…

They probably could have gone on for a while, but a snapping sound made both of them turn their heads in unison, just in time for the flash of the small picture lacrima to capture their reddened faces and frozen bodies.

"You liiike each other!"

"Kya! HAPPY! Give me that!" Lucy was on her feet faster than a hungry Dragon Slayer and tried to snatch the lacrima out of the blue exceed's paws, but the cat just flew off, laughing out loud as he made his way back to the guild.

Just as Cana had told him to.


	4. Day 6: Effulgence

This one is my personal favourite for the week and also has amazing art, to which you can find a link on my profile as usual. :)

**"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; **

**I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."**

* * *

The moment he launched the attack he knew it was a mistake. Seconds later, he was slammed through the remains of what had once been a brick wall, and continued rolling through piles of rubble for what felt like miles. The sharp rocks ripped numerous gashes into his already bruised skin, making him leave a trail of blood along the way. Finally, he came to a halt, facing the ground and spitting out dust. Damn, that guy was actually strong.

He scrambled to his feet, just in time to dodge the attack that came his way. When the smoke cleared, his enemy became visible, calmly walking towards him, a cold smile edged into his features and an ancient book pressed to his body.

Marde Guille himself had decided to join the final battle, picking out the one person he knew everyone was drawing their hope and strength from. Humans were so easy to see through, after all. Though, he had mentally noted, he also was going to vanquish the annoying blonde girl. No one could be allowed to escape Alegría and live. They actually had managed to anger him enough to make a move; nevertheless, this would be over quickly. Nobody here was anything more than a pawn in his little game – and he was the king.

"Don't think that any of you pathetic mages can actually change anything about the outcome of our little encounter. No matter what you call yourselves…Faeries…Tigers… in the end, all you are is weak."

"Oh yeah? Say that again after I've turned you to ashes! Karyu no Hoko!"

With a flick of his hand, Marde redirected the wall of flames into a ruin behind him, where they crashed into rocks and disappeared. "Oh, you Dragon Slayers…Do you really think you can surpass other humans? I don't like it when you vermin play with powers you can never fully master, or even understand. It's such a waste of a dragon's true power. Then again, not even Igneel could put even a scratch on E.N.D." He smiled condescendingly at him.

Natsu clenched his fists, rage rippling through him at the sound of his father's name out of the demon's mouth. "Shut up!"

"Not that it matters, because you will all die here anyway. Though I must admit, this is starting to amuse me. Maybe I'll keep you alive long enough to see your little blonde friend die in front of your eyes."

Natsu was at his limit, and something inside him just snapped. His body was tired from constantly rushing from one fight to the next, and his mind was clouded by a red haze. He had seen all of his friends struggle so hard, had seen their sacrifices, their pain and, despite everything, their invincible strength and trust; and he would not let any of it be in vain. His jaw clenched and his lips formed a thin line as an image of Lucy came to mind, cold and lifeless on the ground, and all because he could not do anything to protect her. Never again. His humanity was a small price to pay in exchange for her safety.

His flames spread around him as he spoke again. "I am the son of the king of the fire dragons! I will defeat you _and _E.N.D. in his stead!"

"Oh?" He raised a black eyebrow, noticing the change in his opponents' energy. "You want to become a dragon? Well, that could be interesting."

"You will not hurt any of my friends! Least of all Lucy!" He grimaced in anger, baring his teeth and clenching his fists as every fiber of his being was consumed by blinding rage. "I don't care if I'm human or not as long as I can protect the people I love!" Flames welled up all around him, climbing higher and higher, while he screamed out his pain and anger and determination. He felt himself giving in to the flames, like he was burning up from the inside. Around him, the fire shifted and seemed to take on the shape of wings, curving around his body, heating him up more and more. Those were not his usual flames. They were darker; consuming and deadly. He felt tears well up in his eyes. _Shit. Lucy…Everyone… I'm sorry. _He closed his eyes, waiting for the darkness to take him whole, to burn everything he was and transform his very being. As long as he could defeat Marde Guille and keep everyone safe, it was enough. He did not need his life. He could see Marde's smiling face through the flames as he slowly lost grip of his consciousness..

"NATSUUU!"

His eyes jerked open as a voice reached his ears; so very close, so very familiar. Automatically, he turned his head in the direction of the cry, only to be taken completely by surprise as she flung herself into his arms. Had he been so out of it that he hadn't even noticed her arriving? A shaky breath escaped his lungs as he felt her warm body against his. He tried to say her name, but his throat was dry, and he had to close his mouth before trying again. "Lucy..?" He croaked.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She was yelling at him, and tears were starting to roll down her cheeks. "We're all right beside each other. There's nothing to fear! Because we're not alone! That's what you said, right? So don't give up like that, Natsu!"

"I'm not giving up!" His lips were trembling now. "I'm protecting everyone! I'm protecting _you!_ "

"There has to be another way." Her eyes locked onto his, pleading and reddened from the tears she was still shedding. "_Please…_" she whispered. The flames slowly started to die down around them.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt your lovely little reunion, but I think it is time for both of you to die." Marde Guille was grinning triumphantly. Two birds with one stone. "I must admit, it would have been entertaining to fight a dragon. Then again, a mere human like you could never have become an actual threat, no matter what appearance. This is starting to bore me. Feelings…Tears… All those annoying things are what makes humans so pathetic."

"You are wrong!" Both Natsu's and Marde's eyes fixed themselves on the blonde who had just spoken. "Shedding tears for others… feeling friendship and love and happiness aswell as pain and loss- all those feelings are what makes us strong! But you don't understand that, do you?"

He just gave her a dismissing look. "I should have killed you much earlier. You truly are annoying." She opened her mouth to retort something angrily, but suddenly stopped when she felt Natsu's hand grip her own. His voice was calm. "Lucy. Don't bother with him. Let's show him the true power of Fairy Tail wizards." She blinked up at him as a relieved smile spread across her face. Now this was _her _Natsu.

"What you fail to understand is that you have lost already. Natsu, you just threw away the last miniscule chance at winning you ever had. Look at you, puny humans, all out of the pathetic amount of magic you carried… It's almost pitiful. Except I don't feel pity. I understand Kyouka now - it's simply too much fun." Marde smiled his sleek, joyless smile; a smile that could have frozen the sun. "You are lost."

"You are never truly lost as long as you don't lose hope. And we still got plenty of that!" Natsu gripped Lucy's hand tighter.

Marde laughed then; he actually laughed out loud, and it was the most terrifying thing Lucy had ever heard.

"Well, then I will be sure to crush even the last bit of hope you have left in your pesky little souls. No human can beat me."

"I am not one human. I've got a comrade right here with me. Lucy is by my side, and together we will send you into oblivion!"

He turned his head downwards to face Lucy, who was clinging onto him, stabilizing him and herself in equal measure. He pulled her closer as he spoke softly. "Lucy, there's a way to beat him. I know we can do it. A Unison Raid!" Her eyes grew large as she looked up at him insecurely. "R-Really? But I've barely got any magic power left…Do you really think we can do this?" – "I felt it when I gave you LucyFire on Tenrou. I _know_ we can do it." He grinned at her encouragingly, and she almost forgot the dire situation they were in.

A tiny smile appeared on her lips then, and she nodded her approval. "Everybody…They are relying on us." Then her face fell. "Still…my magic.."

Suddenly, she felt a surge of power as glowing rays of light danced around her body.

"_My old friend.. one last time, I shall lend you the power of your friends." _The voice came from everywhere, but at the same time it appeared to speak only in her head. She blinked as new energy rushed through her. "Spirit King.. Thankyou!"

She felt Natsu's eyes on her, and there was pride in his voice when he told her: "You have your friends, don't you?"

-"I'll crush every last bit of hope you parasites have left." It could be easily missed, but there was a silent rage in the words of the dark King.

They looked at each other as determination settled on their faces. She put her right arm around his waist, gripping tightly, and they turned to face their enemy once again.

Marde Guille, King of Hades, lifted his arms over his head as he raised his voice. "You shall taste my true power!" Dark light enveloped him; a liquid darkness that swallowed even light, growing around him as even the earth shook in fear.

Lucy took a deep breath, and even now her heart gave a leap when she felt rough fingers entwine with hers. They gripped each others hands tightly, holding on for dear life as they began to release their own magic.

She closed her eyes as she felt warmth envelop her, feeling the fire on her skin, hot and wild and powerful, as his magic rushed through her veins. She could feel his fury in his flames, aswell as his determination and… his love. It was not her first Unison Raid, but this was different from the one she had experienced before. Never had she felt such an intensity, such a unity in their feelings and powers. Carefully, as if testing her abilities for the first time, she allowed her own magic to combine with his.

It was an indescribable sensation, as if they not only could read each others minds, but as if they had _become_ one, their magic and feelings binding them together in heart and soul. When their eyes met, either of them could tell what was in their hearts. Words were needless as they just smiled brightly at each other.

The flames coating the both of them shone brightly as they, too, grew larger and larger, turning the sky a fiery gold, as if the sun itself had decided to descend on the world and swallow it whole.

"_When the shooting stars propel onto earth_

_They combust into the most brilliant of flames._

_What a beautiful sign to make a wish!_

_The sun and the stars-_

_Together we rule the constellations!_

_With a flame on the right hand and a star on the left hand-_

_When you combine them together…_

_Shine for us, oh brilliant flames_

_Of the heavens!_

_Unison Raid!"_

The sky was on fire. Comets started to emerge and fall towards the ground as shooting stars, but before gravity could pull them any further, they were engulfed in flames and took on dragon-like shapes, soaring across the sky and lighting it in the process. No darkness, no matter how black and bottomless, could ever triumph over this purifying light.

Marde's eyes widened in distress as his darkness was eradicated; light filling every crack and shadow until not the least bit remained – only this blinding light, shining so bright his eyes began to hurt. Uncomfortable heat spread through his body. Still surprised, he looked upwards to where the Celestial Dragons soared and fused into one mighty dragon-shaped inferno. Then, suddenly, they raced towards him. The corners of his mouth dropped.

He was engulfed in angry, hot flames that catapulted him up into the air as his lips moved silently. _I-Impossible… mere humans… _His thoughts were interrupted when he hit the ground hard and collapsed, battered and bruised – and utterly defeated. The book fell from his hands and into the dust.

Natsu and Lucy slowly lowered their entwined hands and let them hang loosely between them, still not letting go of each other. Ragged breaths made their chests rise and fall in an erratic rhythm and beads of sweat were trickling down their spent bodies. Around them, the air was still overflowing with magic, which was now beginning to disperse lazily.

A happy, incredulous laugh came tumbling out of the Celestial Spirit Mage's mouth as she turned to her Dragon Slayer. "We…we did it!"

He grinned at her weakly before his legs gave in and he dropped to his knees. She followed right after, finally allowing her exhausted body to break down. They held onto each other tightly as they felt their consciousness slowly slipping away. With his last strength, Natsu put his arms around her, shielding her from the impact as they hit the rough ground.

They just lay there as the adrenaline subsided and pain ripped through them, clutching each other firmly. Still, they were smiling.

Far away, faint cries could be heard, the sound of their names being shouted into the sky and reverberating with the ruins all around; and somewhere close-by the sound of running feet against the ground echoed through the air. They closed their eyes, knowing their comrades were coming for them.

They were not lost or alone at all. They had their friends, after all.

They had each other.


	5. Bonus Prompt: High School

**The Ninja Way**

* * *

"Really? We have to wear _that?_" The pink haired boy eyed the garments in front of him with a mixture of disdain and reluctant acceptance. "It's a fashion disaster."

He shot an almost indignant look at the blonde haired girl who was laughing at him. "Don't tell me you like those, Lucy?"

The girl in question shook her head. "No, I think they could be a little less confining, especially around the stomach - but you know better than anyone that I would wear anything if it gets my rent payed. Also, I remember a certain Dragon Slayer who said it'd be fun to do an undercover highschool mission! Like a ninja, right?" She gave him a cocky wink.

Natsu grumbled something under his breath that she couldn't quite make out, and then she just watched sceptically as he wrapped his scarf around his head. "Nin, nin! Do you remember, Lucy?"

She just rolled her eyes, but the memories came flooding in nonetheless. It had been their first job, while they were sneaking along on the rooftop, when he had first disguised himself to try and be more "secretive". Oh, how far they had come.

Her reaction remained almost the same though, except now there was a fondness in her eyes that she couldn't seem to get rid of anymore, no matter what craziness the pink haired boy came up with. She tried to hide her smile as she watched him struggle with the scarf that had tangled itself around his head and over his eyes. How could a man like him, who had defeated the most terrifying enemies and had mastered his magic like not many before, be the same who was now lying in a pile of laundry, grinning his boyish grin as he looked up at her with a twinkle in his eyes? He scrambled back to his feet and threw the smaller one of the garments hanging over the clothes drying rack at her. "Let's put on those uniforms and get out of here! I'm all fired up now!"

After a series of "No peeking!" followed by high pitched screams, _shush_es and laughing, they finally left the laundry room and stepped into the school corridor, perfectly blending into their environment with their newly "acquired" uniforms.

Their job was fairly easy: all they had to do was to keep an eye out for the substitute teacher, who was not a teacher at all, but a wanted criminal who had robbed a wealthy family of the area. But because there was no evidence, they needed to catch him red-handed or there would be no reward.

Right now it was lunch time, apparently, because the corridors were swept empty. The pair made their way out into the schoolyard, where everyone was busy enjoying their break from learning. Children were running around, playing tag, swinging and laughing, while most of the older kids had gathered around tables and benches, chatting and eating whatever was in their lunchboxes. Natsu and Lucy's eyes widened in joy at the sight. Neither of them had gone to an actual school; Lucy had received private lessons, of course, while Natsu's education had been secured by a dragon – and later, someone far more terrifying. The Titania.

Unsure of what to do, they looked around, when suddenly, someone pulled at the hem of Lucy's skirt. Surprised, she looked down to see a small girl smiling up at her shyly. She could be no more than 7 years old, and her long brown hair was braided loosely, falling over her right shoulder.

"Hello." Lucy smiled at the girl, whose eyes grew wide. Nervously, she played with a ribbon on her dress, then she leaned up conspiratorially and promptly asked: "Is that your boyfriend?"

"Eh?"

The blonde stared down at the young girl in disbelief, too dumbfounded to actually respond. Her disbelief only grew as she suddenly felt an arm sneak around her waist. "I sure am!"

"W-Whaa-?" Suddenly the ability to form even the simplest of words seemed to have slipped her mind completely. Her eyes darted back and forth between "her boyfriend"and the girl. The latter stared at the pink haired boy dreamily. "I like your hair." –"Heh, thanks!"

Just then, the schoolbell rang, and Natsu immediately dashed off in the direction of the classroom in which their "teacher" would be holding the next class. She could not help feeling a bit let down when his hands left her body. "Come on, Lucy! We can't be late on our first day!"

Before Lucy could follow him, the little girl stopped her in her tracks. "I want him to be _my_boyfriend." With one last, challenging look, the brunette turned around and entered the building. Lucy's mouth twitched. Well, the little cutie certainly hadn't been as innocent as she looked. School sure could be a scary place. She shook her head in amusement, before realizing she might actually be late if she didn't hurry.

When she finally reached the classroom, she was all out of breath, while Natsu looked as fresh as ever, waving to her from where he was standing – wait, what were all those girls doing by his side?

A giggling crowd had formed around him, and a pretty, green-haired girl was batting her eyelashes at him as she exclaimed: "Really? Igneel-kun? What a cool name!" The boy in question rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but then his eyes fixed on his teammate again, who was suddenly surrounded by a dark aura for some reason. He figured it was because nobody was paying her any attention, so he quickly parted the crowd on his way towards her. "Yeah, Igneel Dragion, that's me!" He winked at Lucy in a fashion that to him seemed very secretive and ninja-like. "And this is my friend Lucy!"

The green-haired girl from before did not seem very pleased upon discovering her unexpected rival. "Lucy? Lucy what?"

Shit. Why had she not thought of a cover name beforehand? She mentally slapped herself, eyes darting around the room in an attempt to find _something _that would spark her imagination. Her eyes came to a halt when they found the reassuring ones of her best friend. She looked back at the girl and her mind latched on to her first thought.

"…Lucy Dragneel." She could feel his eyes on her, but dared not look up. Quickly she turned around to walk to an empty desk in the corner of the room, avoiding his eyes. What she could not hide, however, was the bright red colour of her cheeks.

Another one of the pupils in the nameless crowd spoke up. "Well, your last names sound weirdly similar. Is that normal in the place where you're from?"

The girl called Lucy Dragneel gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah! Yeah, it is." To her relief, just then the door slid open and the teacher entered, making the whole conversation die down.

He was tall, with broad shoulders and a moustache that made her hair stand up. Slamming his bag down on the desk, he commenced the lesson without further ado. It was one of the most boring hours of her life. He went on and on about different types of jewels, metals and types of earth._"Good thing this is geography," _she thought, _"'cause I bet he doesn't have much specialized knowledge about anything else." _Luckily, it seemed he had never taught this specific class before, because he did not notice the two newcomers. When the bell finally rang, he left the room as quickly and silently as he had entered, and was gone before she could stand up. The same with Natsu, who must have snuck out directly after him. Damn, she would not be able to find them again in the hustle and bustle in the hallway if she didn't hurry.

She groaned and got up slowly. No need to hurry now. She knew Natsu well enough to know he would handle things by himself. She was about to leave the classroom when the same girl who had grated her nerves at the beginning of the lesson stepped between her and the freedom promised by the corridors. "Hey, you. You and your friend are weird, you know that?" She squinted her eyes. "Nobody told us we'd be getting new classmates. And you didn't even bring bags or books with you. Something's going on here, and I will find out what. I'll be watching you." With one last intimidating look and an accusing finger pointed towards her, she left her alone in the empty classroom. Lucy rolled her eyes. By now, she was not particularly sad anymore to not have been to a normal school.

She stepped out into the hallway, looking left and right, hoping to find a tuft of pink hair or to hear his familiar laugh in the crowd. But nothing. After some more fruitless searching, she figured going outside would probably be best, and made her way towards the entrance. Then, suddenly, the whole ground started vibrating. Immediately, she feared the worst, and her hands slid toward the small leather pocket hidden under her skirt.

But the attack came from a direction she had not expected. With an ear-numbening blast, the floor split up, and up shot not only the wanted criminal, but with him jewelry and money galore. There were surprised screams and people started running, but all of a sudden heads turned towards where the guy had been blown up from, and everybody froze.

The silhouette of a man emerged from the hole in the ground; an enigma wrapped in flames and smoke. The crowd watched in silent astonishment, only a few scattered whispers whirred through the air. "_A mage?" "A monster?"_

Natsu ripped the torn uniform off his toned upper body, burning the nasty excuse for a shirt in the process, and revealing the red guild mark engraved on his biceps.

She facepalmed. He just couldn't resist a dramatic entrance, could he? Nonetheless, she couldn't stop the warm fuzzy feeling spreading through her stomach. She watched as he reduced his fire until it only engulfed his right hand.

"I am Natsu Dragneel – of Fairy Tail! And I'm here to tell you that your substitute teacher is a criminal who has been hiding his bounty in your school basement!" He grinned, and suddenly he was the innocent pink haired student again, all traces of his intimidating and powerful bearing gone in a heartbeat.

The moustache-man saw his only chance of escape and scrambled to his feet. His eyes darted to the exit and he started racing towards it, but that was when Lucy finally managed to break away from the –admittedly – very attractive sight that was her partner, and sprang into action. With a quick flick of her whip, she caught the delinquent by his ankle and brought him to the ground in a matter of seconds. The crowd cheered, but all she could hear were the words of her partner.

"Great job, Lucy!"

The sun was starting to set already and gently illuminated the figure of the lone wanderer on his way to the station. He was carrying someone on his back: a young woman, who rested against his back limply, seemingly drained off all energy.

"Oh come on, Lucy! He only refused us ¾ of the reward! It could have been worse."

She groaned against his back in defiance, but said nothing more. They walked on in silence.

"It's weird." She said, suddenly. "Usually I'm the one carrying you."

"Wait 'til we get on the train." He chuckled, and felt her smiling against his back.

"You know, you were quite popular with the girls today." There was a barely noticeable undertone in her words that he found hard to interpret. Not upset, not jealous, just… challenging? Like an unspoken invitation for him to accept.

"That so?" – "Mhm."

She had become more aware of her responses to him lately, of how he made her feel ever so often, when he gave her _that smile_, or casually draped an arm over her or said something so very sweet in such a nonchalant way. She was not sure if she was ready to admit the implication of those weird feelings to herself just yet, but there was no denying that they were indeed very present. Too present to ignore.

"I've kinda missed this. Just the two of us, on a mission. Though it's a shame Happy couldn't come."

"Ah, I think he was quite fine with staying behind with Wendy and Charle." He grinned. Then, a moment later: "Me, too."

For a moment she hesitated, but then buried her face in the small curve between the nape of his neck and his right shoulder. She inhaled deeply. He smelled like smoke, like earth and bark and sweat and a bonfire on a hot summer's day.

She did not know that he was smiling broadly, and she did not know that he was feeling the very same, but what she _did_ know was that his body temperate rose by at least two degrees - and that they had all the time in the world to figure out what exactly they meant to each other.


	6. Day 1: Wander

I only wrote 2 fics for this year's nalu week and decided to dump them in here :D Enjoy!

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**day 1: wander**

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"Is he better?"

Lucy's worried voice carried over to Natsu. He sighed heavily into the pillow, unable to wipe the concerned frown off his face. It had been stuck there for two days now, turning him into a useless pile of worry.

"Dunno," he answered quietly, feeling her soothing presence beside him. "He hasn't moved much."

Both their eyes fixed themselves on the small bundle lying beside him on the bed, halfway wrapped in a blanket.

The weight of the matress shifted as Lucy carefully sank onto it beside him, hand moving to gently stroke Happy's clammy fur.

"I brought some soup, and medicine Wendy gave me."

Hope lit up Natsu's eyes, and he almost bounced on the bed, uneasy from sitting still so long. "Can I feed him? Do I have to warm it up? What medicine is it?"

"Natsu," Lucy sighed, "you can't feed him while he's asleep."

Natsu stilled, casting his eyes onto the ground. Slowly, she reached out to cup his cheek. "Hey, don't worry so much, okay? I'm sure he'll be fine."

"What if he won't be?" His whisper was almost inaudible, laced with so much quiet terror that it made her heart clench.

"He's been through worse than a fever, hasn't he," Lucy tried with a small smile, fighting down her own fears.

After a moment, Natsu nodded, leaning into her touch. His hand came up to cup hers on his cheek as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"You're right," he breathed. "Something like this can't get Happy down! Thanks, Lucy."

With that, he brought her hand to his lips, gently pecking her guildmark.

They jumped slightly when a small, almost painful snicker filled the air. Both immediately leaned over the small cat, holding their breaths as his tiny eyelids fluttered.

Happy blinked at them, eyes hazy, but the usual mischievous glint was still shining behind his confusion.

"..liiike…" he mumbled sleepily, and Lucy couldn't help but crack a small smile. Now this was the Happy she wanted to see. The times when she was glad about his teasing - which he continued, even now after so many years - were not many, but rarely had she been happier about his quibs than right now.

"Happy!" Natsu almost cried out. "Buddy! How you doing?"

"Mmmh…" the exceed answered. His fur was still sweaty. He kicked his legs to rid himself of the blanket, but Lucy was quick to tug it back up. "Wendy said you needed to be kept warm," she scolded with gentle concern.

"Luucy," he smiled, and she had the feeling he was already drifting back to sleep, "…story?"

"Okay," she hastily agreed while opening the small package she had received from Wendy. "But it will be your reward. Your job is to eat this, okay?"

"Fish?"

"…almost."

His little jaw dropped open obediently, and Lucy pushed it shut as the medicine slid down his throat, for fear he might spit it out as soon as he realized this food had never once touched the ocean.

But she received no protests, only paws that clung to her wrists as if they wanted to keep her close.

With a fond smile on her face, Lucy leaned her head to the side, glancing at Natsu. His eyes were still fixed on his cat, and so much concern shone in them that she felt the urge to wrap him in a blanket much like she had Happy.

When he noticed her gaze, he gave her a small, hopeful smile.

"Lucy, he talked! He'll really be better now, right?"

Lucy nodded. Yes, he would. She herself felt much freer now, after finally hearing her friend's squeaky voice again. Neither her nor Natsu had really gotten an eyeful of sleep these past days. Worry had kept them up, and they had soothed each other in the dead of night, never leaving Happy's side.

"A story…" she mumbled, moving further along the bed to lean her back against the wall. Natsu took it as a sign to gently scoop up Happy and lie him down on his chest as he sunk into the big pillow.

The cat squirmed a little, wagging his tail and snuggling into the nook of Natsu's neck. A small smile had crept onto his face, whiskers vibrating with each breath he took.

And so, Lucy began her story.

"Once upon a time, there was a strong and brave cat.

The cat wasn't just like any other cat, either. He was a mighty hero, protector of a young, reckless prince."

Natsu's eyes flitted over to hers knowingly, and she winked.

"His fur was a peculiar blue colour, like the sky above and the sea below, and many took it as a sign that he had been born for great things. The cat wandered far and wide with his master, over meadows and hills, fighting alongside him as the prince wielded his little wooden sword.

Together they lived through many adventures, sharing food and camp alike."

Lucy interrupted her tale when heavy feet landed on her outstretched legs, and she blinked over at Natsu. A lazy smile spread over his face, and the sight of her two best friends cuddled up so cozily made her heart swell. She patted his calves, shifting to find a comfortable position.

"Soon, the large gardens turned to real fields, where they roamed freely and fearlessly. The wooden sword became one of iron, and even the brave cat received a gift: the queen had found him so valiant, she thought it fit to let him conquer even the heavens. So she gave him a pair of wings, proud and shiny feathers that could carry him high up to feel the wind brush against them.

The pair had made a name for themselves long before either of them had reached their seventeenth year. Everybody knew of the prince with the flaming hair, but they knew that secretly, his blue cat was the one fighting all the battles."

She smirked over at Natsu, who rolled his eyes at her.

"As brave as the prince was, he was also very reckless - and without his cat, he would have died many times."

Natsu's expression softened, hands cradling his tiny friend. When he looked back at Lucy, she felt her heart crack in a good way.

"And even when the prince fell in love," she continued with a smile, "the brave cat fought on to protect both of them, for his family had grown to make room for more love and adventure.

Their journey took them to far off continents and high mountains, because it is known that a cat thirsts for freedom - and even some danger. They are at peace in the wilderness, ready to fight many battles even if leading a life of freedom might cost them their lives.

Because that is the true spirit of a hero."

Happy gave a little snore, content and scratchy, almost a purr. Even Natsu's eyes seemed rather droopy.

Deciding the story could be shortened a little, she added a finishing touch.

"The family of three returned to their hometown after wandering the world together for many years, wiser and stronger than ever. Their bonds were so tightly interwoven that, no matter where life would decide to take them, nothing would ever be able to cut them - not even time.

Or the great, evil fish king they would face in their next adventure.

And so they lived happily ever after."

With that, and a loud yawn, Lucy dropped into the pillow beside Natsu, who blindly grabbed for her hand.

She offered it gladly, interlacing their fingers.

The soup could wait.

Sleep was taking her away with each passing moment, and Lucy sighed happily at the feeling. She snuggled closer against Natsu, reveling in his warmth.

Yes, she thought, everything would be okay.

Because she knew that her little family would be with her forever, long after the passage of time would take any of them away to wander on into a new adventure.

That night, all three of them would sleep soundly, drawing strength for a bright new day.

They fell asleep with smiles on their faces.


	7. Day 2: Gratitude

Very short first meeting AU! If you liked these, I'd really be happy about reviews ^-^

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**day 2: gratitude**

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With a critical last look into the big mirror, Lucy ridded herself of the remaining bit of clothing covering her body and stepped into the running shower.

The day couldn't get much worse.

The only thing that was missing was an unfortunate step that would send her flying onto the slippery shower tiles, leaving her with a broken bone and no one around to hear her screams. When nothing of the sort happened, she was almost surprised.

Holding her face beneath the stream, Lucy let the sounds of gurgling water drown out everything around her. She didn't know how long she stood like this, losing her sense of time as she focused of the sensation of hot water running down her tired body.

" If I should staaaaay…."

Lucy snapped out of her little reverie when a loud voice hollered through the tiles. In disbelief, she turned her head to the wall, that stood as stubborn and solid as ever. But not thick enough to stop the sounds from the apartment next door from coming through, apparently. Now that she concentrated, she could make out water running on the other side aswell, mingling with her own shower.

This had to be… her neighbour?

His voice was deep, loud, emotional - and definitely out of tune.

And was he singing Whitney Houston?!

"I would only be in your waaaaay. So I'll _go,_ but I know - I'll _think of you_ every step of the waaaay."

His voice even broke on the emotional parts. Lucy couldn't help it - she started laughing. Alone, under her shower. The first time on that stupid, dreary day.

The sound must have made it over to her unsuspecting entertainer, because suddenly he interrupted himself.

"Hello?" he called, confusion clear in his voice. When he was not singing, Lucy decided, she liked it even more. It was a little rough, even scratchy as he raised it."

For a short moment, in which her heart gave a leap, Lucy considered remaining silent. But she had been missing some social interaction all day, and it was already bad, so she would take the risk of making it worse - or infinitely better.

"Oh my god," she called back, certain she would reach him, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Just– uh. Continue?"

For a moment it remained quiet, with only the sound of falling water keeping her company. But then, to her infinite relief, he spoke again.

"Aw, you gotta join in then!"

"What?!"

"You heard me! We gotta do it together or it won't be fair!"

"Uhh.. I - I guess!" she called back, asking herself what the hell she was agreeing to, and what in all the worlds she was doing in the first place.

Having a casual conversation through her apartment wall. With a stranger.

Maybe she had been wrong.

Maybe her day could get better.

Sudden gratitude flooded her; gratitude for a faceless singer with a weakness for emotional love songs. Lucy smiled.

He apparently decided to take the first step, because now his voice came booming back at full force.

"Aaaaaannnddd IIII will alwaaayyyys…."

"…_looooveeee_…" she joined in, unable to stop a massive grin from working onto her face. She didn't even care that she probably sounded even worse than him. She giggled at the thought that she was about to confess her "love" to a man she knew nothing about.

"y-" she began, but was suddenly cut short.

"Fooooooood!" he all but screamed, voice cracking at the highest tone.

Lucy lost it.

She started laughing, accidentally swallowing some water, but unable to even care about her coughing. She laughed until her chest ached in the best of ways, resting a hand against the cool tiles to stabilize her shaking limbs. Only when she started to gasp for breath did her laughter slowly die down, reduced to small guffaws.

"Yo," her mystery man called, "You okay?"

"Couldn't be better!" she answered, and suddenly realized that she really meant it. He had sung the sadness and frustration out of her like it was nothing. Wiping some dripping strands of hair out of her face, she smiled. "Thankyou."

Her tone must have changed considerably, because he remained silent for a bit. But not for long.

"Wanna come over?" he sounded a little unsure all of a sudden. "I made too much pasta and, uh, if you want… I'm a little bored right now."

Lucy's grin almost reached her ears.

She couldn't wait to find out what her dedicated shower performer with the deep voice looked like. Or, she thought with a little mischief, if he could cook.

Either way, her day would end infinitely better than it had started, she was sure. She felt the sudden overwhelming urge to thank him.

"Give me five minutes."


	8. Day 4: Secrets

Nalu Week 2016 is currently happening, so here is my entry! I whipped this up in one day and I'm still proud of that fact. B) 15 pages, heh. There will be one more entry but since it will be nsfw I'll probably be posting it in my nsfw nalu collection. ;)

Enjoy! Reviews are always very appreciated as per usual!Make me smile. :3

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_nalu week 2016 day 4: secrets_

**hidden in plain sight**

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"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."  
― Roald Dahl

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"Hey Natsu," Lucy said, staring at her reflection in her bedroom mirror, "Did you know I'm something like a witch now?"

The words hung in the room before dissipating into a heavy silence, and Lucy groaned as she ran her hands through her hair.

No. This wouldn't work.

"Natsu, I have to tell you something. This has been going on for a little while now, but I didn't know how to tell you…" Lucy faltered. Now she sounded like she was confessing a love affair.

But how did you tell your boyfriend of two years that, after finally graduating from police academy, you had suddenly been recruited by an odd one-man-department that specialized in magic crime because the chief – and only member – had sensed your magic potential?

Lucy still couldn't really believe it herself.

All her life, she had considered herself to be absolutely normal. _Non magical_. Because magic did not exist, not in the real world. It was for children and story books. The notion that she possessed magic powers had sounded like a complete joke to her, and so she had actually laughed at Chief Clive's face as he had suggested it.

But she had found out all too soon that it had been no joke.

Her last doubts had been cleared when he had produced a small ball of pure, blinding energy in the palm of his hand. After staring at it for what had felt like hours, entirely mesmerized by its beauty, she had demanded to know the trick behind it, but had encountered no tools. Then Gildarts had started orbiting it around her head with a grin, and in that moment Lucy Heartfilia accepted that magic _did _exist.

That had been only two weeks ago, and her world had been turned upside down.

But somehow, between hunting supernatural criminals and learning all about magic theory, Lucy had not yet found the time to even attempt to explain her new occupation to her boyfriend of two years.

Not like she even fully understood it herself.

Lucy sighed. Natsu should be at her place every minute now; he'd texted her asking for takeout preferences about half an hour ago, when he'd gotten off from work. There'd been no fires, he'd reassured her, but for the first time in his career he'd actually had to rescue a cat.

Something about the way he'd said it had made her suspicious, and she was planning to squeeze it out of him over dinner.

That fool… she'd really missed him. Work had been crazy this week, especially with the new case she and Gildarts had been assigned, and she'd spent her days rushing through Magnolia to collect evidence, witness accounts… and lunch for her lazy ass boss.

She hadn't seen Natsu for too long, and was looking forward to some all around quality time with her best friend and lover. It was rare that they didn't see each other for days at a time, but it seemed distance really did make the heart grow fonder.

As long as it didn't become a habit, she could cope.

Besides, she had learned so much in the last days, more than any of the boring theory books Gildarts made her read could have taught her. Nothing beat practice, after all. Lucy felt like she had finally made some real progress, after having repeatedly failed to recreate the magic formulas her teacher showed her.

It had been frustrating, and she'd shut herself away from the world to practice, but now she felt so much more accomplished and confident in herself.

She was just about to sit down over some case files when she heard stomping from the corridor, and jumped up in excitement to greet Natsu. Maybe today she'd work up the courage to tell him…

But when she rushed out into the corridor it was empty, so she supposed he was already in the kitchen, in a hurry to eat as per usual. With a mischievous grin, Lucy tiptoed over the carpet.

Carefully, she peeked around the corner. Natsu was standing with his back to her, not clad in his uniform but wearing the firefighter shirt that she could recognize even from behind. It was one of her favourites. He seemed relaxed, suspecting no attacks.

Excellent.

Her grin stretched wider as she prepared to take her next steps, not even daring to breathe lest her cover might be blown.

"Hi, Lucy," Natsu said with the most casual air she'd ever heard, and Lucy froze mid-step.

She glared at his back. "How do you always do that?!"

"I missed you too," he said, grinning at her when he turned around.

And just like that, Lucy lounged into his arms, hugging him tightly as he chuckled into her hair.

She pecked his cheek when she was done, and then reconsidered and moved in again for a long, happy kiss that he reciprocated gladly.

"Boy, you're making me hungry for dessert," he murmured when she finally pulled back, and she smirked at him cheekily.

"So what'd you bring?" she asked and turned towards the counter, but not without casting him one more suggestive glance over her shoulder. "Oh, what's in this box?"

Forsaking the plastic bags in which a stack of many different aluminium containers smelled promisingly of fried things, Lucy reached out a hand to pull up one sides of the open cardboard box.

"Ah, wait–"

But Lucy's jaw had already dropped. The first thought that popped into her mind was that at least now she wouldn't have to interrogate Natsu about his secrecy. The answer was in the box. And the cat inside was very real, no matter how you looked at it.

"Natsu… you stole the cat?!"

"Wha–" Natsu lifted his hands in defense as she whirled around, a ragged ball of fur clutched against her chest. "I didn't steal it! It didn't have an owner!"

"How can you be sure about that?" Lucy looked down at the cat in her arms, carefully stroking its head. It began purring. "What if someone's missing it?"

"No one is. I just _know_," he insisted, "Besides, have you seen the state he's in? If he had an owner then I damn sure won't return him."

Anger flared in his eyes, and Lucy had to agree with him. The poor thing was all fuzzy and scarred, his fur knotty and dyed blue in some spots by some unfortunate accident she didn't want to imagine.

She was far empathetic for her own good: she already felt fond of the cat.

A troublemaker, if the glint in his eyes was anything to go by. But he was just too cute.

And she was too weak. She _wanted _to keep him.

"But… Natsu, how will this work?" she asked, a little hopeless. "We're both working, and don't even live together either. As much as i want to let him stay, it would be difficult…"

"Ah, it's okay," Natsu beamed, "I'll take him! I work a little less anyways, and when even if I get called in for emergencies… he can stand a few hours alone. He's not a dog, after all, right buddy?"

To her surprise, the cat in her arms meowed as if in agreement.

With a little laugh, she shook her head.

"You always win," she chided, but he cocked his head with a lopsided grin.

"You wanted me to win. You didn't even try."

At this, Lucy bit her lip to hide a smile. "Maybe," she allowed, carefully setting the cat down onto the floor. He looked around a little suspiciously, not moving for a long moment.

"I love you, you know," she sighed, "With your elephant sized heart and all."

Natsu pressed a kiss to her head on his way to the food containers. The rustling of the bag and foil was enough to send their new family member racing out of the kitchen.

(They wouldn't find him again until much later, hiding under the couch.)

It was exactly in that moment, when his lips touched her head just above her ear, that Lucy first felt it.

It came out of nowhere, and she immediately dismissed it as an effect of studying and practicing too many formulas earlier in the day. But the flash of memory had been so vivid, the feelings so real, that she couldn't quite shake it.

The smell of campfire smoke, feet intertwining on soft couch pillows, the deep ache of missing someone alone at night, laughter as a pillow fight ended in sweet victory…

Lucy recalled everything clearly, even now, as she was munching away at her stirfry noodles, deep in thought. It would have been nothing but a memory, an idea, a silly daydream to her if it had happened only two weeks ago, but maybe two weeks ago she wouldn't have been able to pick it up at all.

The magic presence a person left behind, like a trail of smoke that dissipated into thin air. Gildarts had taught her to pick them up if she concentrated hard enough, but never before had one been so vivid.

Maybe it was her own?

"What're you making that face for?" Natsu asked in amusement, noodles hanging out of his mouth as he spoke.

"Says the one who looks like a combine harvester," she dead-panned, and he was offended enough to forget about his question.

Again (for probably the hundredth time) Lucy wondered if she could somehow casually bring up the fact that magic was real and she was not just any amateur practitioner but an actual magical apprentice.

Magical apprentice. It sounded ridiculous even in her head.

Puffing her cheeks, she took a deep breath and then took one last bite of her meal before giving up. It was just too much. As usual, Natsu had bought enough food to feed an army.

And yet he always managed to finish it all. Sometimes she really wondered if he was human.

But at no point before had she ever _actually _considered it.

But now she faltered, watching him more closely as he devoured his portion and reached for hers. It was impossible… right?

They'd been together for two years! He would have told her!

Then again… She understood that particular dilemma all too well.

Lucy decided to investigate this notion that just wouldn't let her go. No matter how much she thought it to be ridiculous, her gut instinct wouldn't relent.

And considering she'd been schooled to pick up magic presences throughout the last two weeks… maybe her instincts were a more reliable source to trust in this case.

"Say, Natsu…" she began, pondering how to breach the topic. But she came up empty, so she decided on action instead. Maybe if she touched him again… "Do you wanna watch a movie later?"

Natsu's eyes it up. "You bet!" he called, grinning, and then she watched as his expression slowly morphed from one of innocence to mischief, and it occurred to Lucy how their movie nights usually ended. "You _bet_," he said again, but this time his expression was sly.

Lucy laughed. "You get to choose," she said with a wink, and then got up and carried her plate over to the sink. She left it there to be washed later. When she turned, Natsu had already abandoned the dishes and fled the table.

She moved in time to see him fling himself onto the couch, and rolled her eyes.

He was such a big child sometimes.

Her suspicion seemed more and more ridiculous, and Lucy was almost convinced she had simply overworked herself a little too much.

It was enough that her job suddenly involved the supernatural, she didn't have to turn her boyfriend into a magical being too.

So when she got to the couch, she was determined to just let it go.

With a content sigh, she plopped down at his side, wedging a spot for herself. With a lazy grumble, Natsu, who had previously been stretched across the entire couch with his head buried in a pillow, rolled to his side to accommodate her. His arms wound around her waist and he pulled her down to him, cackling happily as he wrapped himself around her.

"Lucy is so soft," he sang, and Lucy couldn't help but giggle.

Turning in his grasp, she moved until she was face to face with him. It was far too easy to get lost in his eyes, so dark and deep and intense. Lucy shivered, a small smile on her lips.

His brows furrowed as he watched her more closely, and that was when Lucy felt it again.

But this time it was different.

A tugging, a knocking in the back of her mind that was begging to be let in; a conscious presence she could feel very clearly. This had never happened before, and the sensation was extraordinary.

They were still staring at each other, but their eyes saw far more than just a face.

As Lucy gave in to the feeling, a safe warmth overcame her – and then she saw and felt flashes of memories that weren't her own.

Igneel – Natsu's father, but he looked younger here – laughing at a table, with Natsu and his siblings, Wendy and Gajeel… and five other people she didn't know, all children. A hand gliding through a campfire as if it were water. Warmth. Natsu, older now, arranging a tie as he looked at himself in the mirror, the fashion long outdated. A young blond man, about their age, producing a light as she had seen it in Gildarts hand, and Natsu laughing as he answered with a ball of fire that grew in his hand until it enveloped it whole. Heat.

They both snapped out of their state at the same time, panting as they jerked upright and stared at the other in disbelief.

"I knew it!" they both gasped, which only served to send them back into silence.

Contrary to Lucy's, Natsu's expression soon turned to one of exhilaration.

"You can use magic!" he beamed, "You're a witch!"

And suddenly Lucy felt very rightly offended over the fact that he'd stolen her line.

"Y-you!" she started, her mouth open as wide as her eyes, "You're… a witch?"

This seemed to amuse Natsu more than she could understand.

"Oh no," he said, and for a second Lucy relaxed just the tiniest bit. He grinned. "I'm a god."

Had Lucy been the type, she would have fainted.

Instead, she sat dumbstruck, frozen into place. Only when Natsu gently shook her did she react, slowly blinking.

"A… a god," she echoed, "Are you serious?"

Natsu seemed to realize that maybe he should have breached the topic a little more carefully. Taking her by the shoulders, he pushed her into the backrest, where she melted into the couch.

"A god," she said again, and laughed.

"I think I broke her…" Natsu mumbled, and she cast him an incredulous glance.

"I can still hear you, you know."

He sank into the backrest right beside her, looking straight ahead. She thought she saw the corners of his mouth twitch.

"So," he said after a while, "This is a bit unexpected, huh?"

Lucy cast him a desperate smile, laughing behind closed lips. "A bit," she agreed.

"I always sensed some dormant magic energy in you," he admitted then, "But never more… until lately. I thought maybe it was my imagination. Then I thought maybe it was my fault. Y'know, I thought maybe my magic was rubbing off on you… But that's not it, right?"

Lucy shook her head.

Well… here it was. Her opportunity to tell him.

It hadn't exactly happened the way she'd planned, had it? Not at all. Not even a tiny bit.

"Remember how I told you I got offered a great position right after I finished my training? Well, the position I was offered…"

Understanding dawned on Natsu's face, and a grin began to form.

"I heard there's a department that deals with… our matters," He nodded, chuckling to himself for some reason. "Didn't know my girlfriend is part of it, though."

"I wanted to tell you," she said meekly, but then remembered that he had conveniently forgotten to do so for two _years_, not two weeks. "You're one to talk!"

Natsu scratched his head. "I was gonna bring it up…" he tried, an apologetic grin on his lips, and it was like looking into a mirror. Except this mirror was a lot more carefree in his approach. "But now you know! And even better, you are magical too!"

This guy… nothing could extinguish his enthusiasm, could it?

Then again…he had a point. She couldn't see anything bad coming out of this situation just yet.

Natsu for one seemed positively ecstatic.

With a sigh, she cuddled against him. His arms closed around her, and his familiar, comforting warmth rushed through her.

"So… you're not gonna break up with me?" he suddenly asked, and Lucy's head shot up in shock.

"What? Of course not, Natsu," she said softly, bringing a hand to his cheek. Gently, she kissed him, and felt him relax in relief. When she pulled back, a mischievous twinkle was in her eyes, and Natsu looked even more relieved. "Who would pass up on dating a god, after all?"

Snorting quietly, Natsu leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling.

"Only lame people," he said, and she grinned. But there was something on her mind ever since she'd peeked into his head.

"Say, Natsu… The things I saw. It looked like you–" Trying to order her thoughts, she hesitated. "How old are you?"

"Ah…" His eyes darted away from hers yet again, and Lucy prepared for the worst.

"A little over… 400 years?" he peeped, pursing his lips innocently as he caught her eyes.

"What?!" she shreeked. "I'm dating a zombie?!"

"Oi!" he protested, "Don't compare me to those! I'm very alive, thank you."

"I can see that."

Natsu shot her another sheepish grin.

"But if you're 400 years old…" Lucy trailed off, but Natsu seemed to follow her train of thought. "Sooner or later…"

"Well." He fidgeted. "That's something you don't have to worry about… if you choose to stick with me."

"You mean… I won't age?!" The prospect equally thrilled and terrified her, and she bit her lip when Natsu confirmed it with a nod. He was avoiding her eyes, but when Lucy grabbed his chin and forced his face closer to hers, there was an insecurity in his that she wasn't used to.

"I know it's only been two years…" He took a deep breath, his hands coming up to brush his thumbs across her cheeks. "But my decision has been made anyways. It's all up to you."

Lucy's eyes were wide as she stared at him. He wasn't proposing, but he might as well have been. Her cheeks turned a dark red.

"You wanna be with me forever?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Well – it's not _forever_," he said with a grin that his nervosity betrayed. "But a lot longer than any human gets to live. So, yeah. Something like forever."

"Something like forever sounds nice," Lucy said with a large smile.

Natsu's face lit up along with hers, and before she knew it he was showering her with enthusiastic kisses to her lips and all around them whenever he missed, smiling as she laughed and squealed.

Then her hands landed on his shoulders and she pushed him back with a suddenly serious and apprehensive face.

"So how does this work? Do you have to bite me?"

Natsu snorted, choking back laughter. "I'm a god, not a _vampire_! Really, Lucy?"

She pouted, squinting at him. "Who knows anymore…" she muttered under her breath, and Natsu smothered her in a hug, no longer able to contain his laughter.

"Besides," he added, "since you're magical too, you'd have an extended lifespan anyway. Maybe not quite as much as us, but far longer than any normal human."

"Oh." Lucy hadn't even considered this before, and she was reminded how much she still had to learn about this new lifestyle that had been thrust onto her. Well – not like she'd refused much. Or at all. Magic had sounded like an irresistible adventure, and not only because the alternative would most likely have been paperwork.

Suddenly she found herself wondering just how old Gildarts truly was. Then again… he behaved like a perverted teenager most of the time anyways, so maybe it didn't make that much of a difference.

The thought of her teacher reminded her of her duties, though, and she eyed Natsu with pursed lips. The professional in her reared its head.

"You know, I should probably introduce you to my boss," she said, and Natsu raised his brows.

"Oh?"

Lucy nodded. "It's a matter of police work."

"What, I'm gonna be your lab rat?" he asked with a laugh, and Lucy gasped in indignation.

"It's just that he should know, is all." She crossed her arms over her chest and puffed her cheeks. Not her most professional look, but it worked.

"So you wanna go right now?" he asked, an amused twist to his lips.

"Right now?" Lucy asked, taken aback.

"Well let's get it over with, right? Gotta earn my stamp of approval."

"It's not like that!" she protested, but Natsu was already pulling her along, towards the door. Lucy trailed behind him like a puppy on a leash, wondering whatever had gotten into him.

On their drive over to Magnolia's Police Department, Natsu filled her in some more: he was part of a god tribe – another word he used was 'genie', but in the end it didn't really matter – located in and around Magnolia, of which each member (he called them all his siblings) ruled over an element. Igneel was of course the head of their family, and had raised all the kids himself.

"So are you even an actual firefighter?" she asked when they pulled up beside the large building, and Natsu laughed.

"Even gods have to work," he said with a wink, "We're just people too, when it comes down to it. But my powers sure help when it comes to my job. Besides… it's a matter of heart."

Something in his expression pulled taught, and Lucy looked at him with worry.

"What do you mean?" she asked carefully.

Natsu didn't look at her when he spoke next. "I died in a fire," he said quietly. "Or, well – I turned into who, or what, I am now. Igneel saved me. But my parents…"

"Oh Natsu…" Lucy didn't know what to say, trying to hide the tears that were threatening to spill.

"It's the same for all my siblings," he went on, reaching for her knee and smiling at her reassuringly. "Igneel saved us all. Don't worry, it's a long time ago now, and we all have each other."

Wiping at the tears that had quietly spilled onto her cheeks, Lucy nodded, but didn't manage to look very convincing. Smiling, Natsu reached over to wipe at her tearstained skin.

"And I have you, too." Lucy smiled through her tears, taking his hand into hers. He grinned his large grin again, the one she'd fallen in love with. "And the cat."

Boxing his arm, Lucy laughed. "If the cat's family, then why doesn't it have a name?" she asked, raising her brows, happy that they both were smiling again.

"He has a name!" Natsu lied, rubbing his chin. "He's… Happy!"

"Wait, that's his name? Happy?" Lucy bit her lip.

"Mmhh," Natsu hummed in agreement, lifting her hand to his face to press a kiss to the back of it, "Very happy."

Lucy shook her head with a smile, unsure of what to do with all the love she felt in that moment. She opted for leaning over the gearshift and kissing him, long and good, before pulling back with a large smile.

"So let's go, Lucy! Jeez, you're always so slow!"

Lucy gasped, pouting at him, but he already was halfway out the door. She joined him on the pavement, interlacing her fingers with his.

"You sure you wanna do this right now?" she asked, still confused about the whole matter. "It's not like it's urgent."

"You said you have to take me to him so he can have a good look at me, right?" Natsu said before sauntering off, and Lucy followed him once more with quizically raised brows.

She felt the same way she had when Natsu had told her about the cat he'd rescued. He was being fishy again. But the feeling was beginning to creep up on her that maybe this time _he _would be the cat in the box instead.

An ominous foreboding overcame her, and she shivered.

And indeed, Natsu wore a disturbingly evil smirk as they made their way to Gildarts' office, past security and long corridors and offices that were mostly empty at this time of day.

But Lucy knew her boss would be working long hours again.

She hadn't known him for long, but somehow it felt like he'd always been her boss. As weird as he could be, he had a good heart, and Lucy had taken an immediate liking to the odd man.

And now she was about to introduce her boyfriend to him. At her workplace. Long after her shift had ended.

Nothing odd about _that _at all, was there?

She guessed they made a great team. They were both weird in their own way.

Still, when she knocked on his door, Lucy felt nervous. What the hell was she doing, anyways?

But sure enough, Gildarts' voice allowed her in seconds later, and with a dreadful, warning stare in Natsu's direction, she opened the door.

And then Natsu pushed right past her, stomping into the middle of the room.

"Guess who's dating your new Constable?" he boomed, hands on his hips, and Lucy lost all colour.

Gildarts didn't even flinch. He stared at Natsu for a long moment, then at Lucy – and then he tossed his pen right in Natsu's face.

"You're dating that _punk_?!" he cried out, pointing at Natsu, who had crashed into a shelf in shock, "_Igneel's spawn_?!"

Lucy didn't know what to do. Her favoured course of action would have been to run away screaming.

She should have known. She should have known that they knew each other, and that Natsu had taken it onto himself to drag her all the way here just so he could play some cruel joke.

"How did this brat even end up with a woman like you?" her boss went on with his complaints, "I didn't know he even knew what romance was!"

"Oi!" Natsu called, tossing the pen right back but mysteriously missing (seriously, it had been aimed straight at his nose). "You better shut up, old geezer!"

They both glared at each other, with Lucy helplessly standing in between the mess they'd made – and then they broke into laughter.

Lucy's world was hanging by its hinges for what felt like the hundredth time this month.

She understood nothing.

GIldarts got up, and she watched the two men exchange bear hugs.

"It's been too long," Gildarts beamed as he ruffled Natsu's hair, who grinned back at him widely.

"Excuse me," Lucy seethed from her corner, "Would you mind explaining what is happening here?"

"Aw Lucy," Natsu cooed, trying to sneak into a hug but shrinking back when he saw her death stare. "I just couldn't resist not telling you."

"What did you do to poor Lucy?" Gildarts demanded, "She is under my protection now."

"And under mine too," Natsu snarled, "For far longer. You got a problem with that?"

Gildarts looked almost proud. "And here I was thinking you'd never grow up," he laughed, slapping his back so hard that Natsu spluttered.

"And here I was thinking you'd never take another apprentice in your life, wizard," Natsu mimicked, sticking his tongue out. It looked like he had trouble breathing. Then he turned back to Lucy, his grin suddenly innocent and pure. She didn't know how he did it. "Of course we know each other. He's the police and I'm a firefighter, we always run into each other!"

"Not to mention I'm somewhat of Magnolia's magical supervisor," Gildarts added with a grin. "Someone has to keep that rowdy bunch under the control of the law."

"Couldn't you have deduced that, Lucy?"

They both snickered.

"Boys," Lucy said with a sweet smile, "You better stop it right there."

How was she supposed to survive with two insane men by her side day in and day out?

But as they both looked at her with fond smiles, she thought that maybe it wasn't so bad.

"Yo, Gildarts, you wanna come?" Natsu suddenly asked, "I bet Igneel would love to see you again too, after so many years."

"Come?" Lucy asked, suddenly alarmed, "Come _where_?"

"Your party of course!"

"M-my what?"

"We have to celebrate that you're officially part of the family, duh!" Natsu declared, his arms wrapping around her waist, and this time she let him. "Everybody is waiting already!"

Gildarts laughed, picking up his car keys. "I'm driving."

"But… how did you…" she stammered, but Natsu just winked. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear before he pulled her along once more.

"Magic."


End file.
